Rivet-setting machine



E. B. STIMPSON RIVET SETTING MACHINE March 18, 1924; 1,487,365

Filed July 11. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 18, 1924,

1,487,365 rATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN B. s'rrivrrson, or nrtoo Lrn, NEW YORK, AssIeNoIt T0 EDWIN B. STIMPSON COMPANY, 01 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,

RIVET-SETTING; MACHINE.

Application filed July 11, 1921. Serial No. 483,705.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN B. STIMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Rivet-Setting Machines, of which the following is a speci-. fication. i

This invention relates to machines for set ting rivets or the like in leather or other sheet material, such machines including, as usual, a hopper, and a raceway down which rivets are fed to a cut-0E and transfer slide which delivers them one by one to a pocket or holder, whence the individual rivet is driven through a sheet of leather or. other material. In such machines the lower end of the raceway has generally been made by afixing strips of steel to the outer face. of a stationary part fast-to or integral with the machine head, with a unitary nose-piece fast to the inner face of the stationary part, having a rivet-guiding groove non-alined with the main raceway, the nose-piece having another groove extending horizontally and intersecting the rivet-guiding groove, and a slide in the horizontal groove adapted to be moved into alinement with and to receive a single rivet .from the raceway proper, and then to be moved into alinement with and transfer the rivet to the rivet-guiding groove of the nose, whence the rivet drops into the pocket, immediately below a driver or plunger.

It is an object of my invention to simplify and improve the structure of machines of the kind referred to, by supporting the slide entirely within a readily detachable unitary nose-piece, which has formed therein a transverse T-slot or groove for the slide and other rivet-guiding T slots or grooves extending lengthwise of the detachable piece in staggered relation to eachother and intersecting the slide groove. By utilizing this construction I am enabled to assemble the nose-piece and its slide, and apply them as a unit to the stationary member in which the upper end of the raceway is formed, without any danger of bindingor sticking of the slide,and without the necessity for any very fine or accurate machine work ex cept in the nose-piece; and since the latter is preferably of steel, as is also the slide, the parts, once machined, will be accurate in relation and operation despite the wear to which they may be subjected. Preferably also for the same reasons of economy of manufacture and for more ready assembly, the outer face of the stationary member is rabbeted, and the nose-piece setin with its outer surface flush with that of the stationary member and in the general line of extension of the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in the discharge end of the nose-piece, clearance for the plunger. The nose-piece, as usual, is arranged at an angle to the plunger, and in prior constructions the surface of the nose adjacent the path of the plunger has been provided witha vertical groove in which the plunger slides, the bottom of this groove constituting the wall of the rivet guide at the discharge end. Accordingly, the wall of the rivet guide adjacent the plunger has been shorter than its opposite wall, with the result that an issuing rivet would not be positively guided up to the very point of discharge, but might come out wrong end to, and jamthe mechanism I therefore propose to make the walls of the terminal rivet-guiding discharge slot of equal length, and to; out entirely through both walls thereof, the plunger sliding in the cut-out portion of one wall, and the shank of the rivet projecting from the cutout portion of the other wall. That is, the rivet-guiding discharge slot has a generally shape in cross section, instead of the usual T-shape'. Thus, the plunger may be located desirably close to the nosepiece, while rivets are positively guided to the very moment of discharge.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the raceway groove in machines of this kind with adepression along its median longitudinal line, so that it will serve toguide rivets having curved heads, as well as those which are straight. A further object isto give the rivet-guiding slot at the terminus of thenose-piece a conformation closely approximating the head of a particular style of rivet for which the machine is specifically adapted.

Another object is to provide, in one of the walls against which the transfer and cutoff slide works, a groove whosefunction is to diminish frictional contact or surface adhe sion. a

Other objects and aims of the invention, more ess o dtha th se s ed a ve I together with the advantages inherent, will be in part obvious and in part specifically referred to in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts, and applications of principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will appear from the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which are are to be taken as part of this specification, and in which I have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of invention:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a rivet-setting machine embodying my invention, only such parts being illustrated as are necessary to an understanding of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but taken at right angles thereto;

' Figure 3 is a view taken from the opposite side of Figure 2, illustrating the parts adjacent the carrier;

Figures 4 and 5 are edge and face Views, respectively, of the detachable nose-piece;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the slide;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of the nose-piece;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of the nosepiece terminus, taken from the opposite side with respect to Figure 5;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 1010 of Figure 9; and

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on line 1111 of Figure 5.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings,-and first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, numeral 14 indicates the machine head, in which slides a driver 15, actuated by suitable connections which it is not necessary here to show. Another stationary part of the machine, in which the stationary raceway proper is formed, is indicated at 16, and at the upper end thereof is a hopper 17 whence rivets or the like are discharged into the raceway.

The upper section of the raceway consists of strips 18 fastened by screws to the outer face of stationary member 16, while the lower part comprises a nose-piece 19 set into a rabbetted portion of the outer face of sta tionary member 16, having its outer surface flush with that of stationary member 16, and in the general line of extension ofthe latter, that is, at an angle to the path of driver 15, the lower end of the nose-piece terminating above and to one side of the rivet pocket 20.. Formed in the outer surface of nose-piece 19 is a rectangular groove 21, and on each side thereof a shelf 22, on which are secured strips 23, slightly wider than the shelves, so that a rivet-guiding T-slot is formed down which rivets pass from the raceway 18, the heads of the rivets being accommodated in groove 21 while their shanks pass between the opposed edges of the strips 23. If desired, the groove 21 may include another median longitudinal depression or groove 35 (Figures 5 and 8) so that round as well as flat-headed rivets may be accommodated. There is a transverse T-slot or groove 24 intersecting the raceway 21, and in this groove reciprocates a T-slide 25, the lower end of left-hand shelf 22 and of the floor of groove 21 terminating short of the stem of the Tslide. The stem of the T-slide projects outwardly from slot 24, and is provided with a cut-out portion 26 with which cooperates a stop 27 and with a transverse T-slot 28, an inclined surface 29 appearing on the surface of the stem portion of the T-slide to the right of slot 28. There is also provided an aperture 30 in which is engaged a means for reciprocating the slide, not shown. Preferably one wall of the slot 24 in which the slide 25 reciprocates is provided with a groove 36 (Figure 7) whose function is to diminish frictional contact or surface adhesion. Extending parallel, but in staggered relation to the raceway extension 21, and in the lower end of nose-piece 19 is another rivet-guiding slot or groove, preferably. of generally shape.

In the making of this terminal rivet guide a portion 38 is cut out of the nose-piece to accommodate and guide the rivet head, and slits 31 and 37 of less width than the cut-out 38 are provided in the opposite walls of the nosepiece, slit 37 being in the wall adjacent to and alined with and affording clearance for the thick part 39 of plunger 15, and the slit 31 accommodating the shank of a rivet. lVith this construction the walls surrounding and defining the slits may be of substantially equal length and extend to the very terminus of the nose-piece, so that a rivet will have guidance until it actually leaves the nose-piece; while at the same time the driver may be desirably close to the nosepiece. And I prefer that the portion 38, which guides the head of the rivet shall conform closely to the shape of the particular type of rivet for which the machine is intended. Thus, the conformation shown in Figure 11 is intended for round-headed rivets, and insures much more efiective guidance than would be secured if portion 38 were rectangular, though otherwise capacitated to take the same size round-headed rivet as the device of Figure 11.

It will be understood that in operation rivets pass down the raceway 18 and alined raceway extension 21 and the lowermost rivet enters the T-slot 28 of the slide, the latter being in the Figure 5 relation, so that slot 28 registers with raceway 21. In the operation ofthe machine the slide moves to the left from its Figure l osition, until it registers with the discharging raceway tion 31, whence the rivet passes to the pocket 20, which in the operation of the machine brings the rivet into contact with the sheet of material into which it is to be driven, whereupon downward movement of the driver forces the rivet into the sheet and sets it, the pocket opening in a familiar manner to release the rivet.

The inner face of the nose-piece 19 may; be provided with one or more pins 32 which enter apertures in the face of stationary member 16, these serving to locate the parts in proper relation, screws 34: being employed to complete the assembly. Since trouble is had with these machines most frequently at or near the point of riveting, it is obvious that there is a decided advantage in having the nose-piece with its self contained cut-off and transfer slide, readily removable from the outer and accessible face of the machine. And the described construction of the nosepiece is calculated for easy machining.

Inasmuch as many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to. fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the kind described, a stationary member extending in a generally downward direction and having a unitary nose-piece set in the face thereof flush with the surface of the stationary member, said stationary member having a raceway in its face and the nose-piece having in its upper portion a raceway alined with that of the stationary member and in its lower portion a non-alined raceway section, the nose-piece being also provided with a transverse T- slot intersecting the non-alined raceway sections.

2. In a device of the kind described, a head having a plunger extending therethrough, a stationary member at one side of the head and extending downwardly towards the plunger, a unitary nose-piece in the outer face of the stationary member and in the general line of extension thereof, the stationary member having a raceway section, and the nose-piece having in its upper part a raceway section alined with that of the stationary member, and in its lower part a non-a1ined raceway section, the nose-piece having also a transverse T-slot intersecting the raceway sections of the nose-piece.

3. A detachable unitary nose-piece for the purpose described, having a raceway section comprising a longitudinal groove with a shelf on each side thereof, one of the shelves being longer than the other shelf and the floor of the groove, the nose-piece having a longitudinal T-slot therein out of alinement with the groove before mentioned, and a T slot extending transversely of the nosepiece between said first mentioned groove and said second mentioned groove, the end of the shorter shelf and of the floor of the first named groove being in the line of extension of the transverse T-slot.

4. In a machine of the kind described, an inclined nose-piece having a rivet guiding passage in its upper part and a parallel nonalined rivet-guiding passage in its lower part and opening out of its lower end, said passages disposed in the general line of extension of the nose-piece, a transfer and cutoff member disposed between the adjacent ends of the passages and transversely thereof, the lower passage in cross-section com prising a slot cut through from face to face of the nose-piece and oppositely disposed recesses within the body of the nose-piece opening into the through slot, a rivet-receiving pocket at the lower end of the nose piece into which rivets passing out of the lower passage may fall, and a plunger movable towards and from the pocket and in its movement extending partly into one end of the through slot, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDWIN B. STIMPSON. 

